The last time I wrote here I was gainfully employed and relishing in what I considered to be a very successful 2013. A lot has transpired since then. On Dec 31, I lost my job and was thrown into the world of SAHMs aka stay-at-home-moms.
I have never been a stay-at-home-mom before. I was excited to test it out: to stay home with my 2 year old daughter Siri, to be home when the older kids got home from school, to be calm for homework, dinner and bedtime and to finally tackle all those pesky home organizing projects!
Here are a few key lessons I learned during this time:
1. Loading and unloading a toddler into the car makes every trip take double the time. DUH! I still enjoyed getting out and bringing Siri with me but of course my errands took longer (including carpool).
2. Laundry is never finished and can consume your life. Especially when there are 6 of you! I still have baskets to put away.
3. Homework and bedtime is never stress-free even if you were home all day long!
4. SAHMs are busy, which of course I knew already. There is never a dull moment and the only time you have to accomplish anything is during baby's nap time. But you want to nap too!
5. The home organizing projects are endless and you cannot even tackle many of them because you can only work during baby's naptime (see #4 above) and laundry is never finished (see #2 above).
6. I now fully understand the feeling of upending routine and the uneasiness that comes along with it. Children are affected by this and express anxiety in various ways. Adults are affected too, but it is perhaps more subtle. We all had to adjust to a new situation and new routines.
7. Dinner can be ready on time if I am home!
8. Doctors' appointments and quick errands are SO much easier when I can go during the day. It is much easier to have a flexible schedule during the week. It also makes the weekends calmer.
I am grateful for the opportunity to spend more time with my children and to be able to appreciate my time at home. It has really been a blessing and I look forward to working on a brand new endeavor (coming soon!) that will allow me to continue to be available for my children and my home.
